Second chance to say ‘No’ to ag-gag in south australia

Ag-gag laws operate to hide the truth about how animals are raised on factory farms and other animal use industries by silencing advocates and stifling transparency.

Earlier this year, the South Australian Labor Government passed the Surveillance Devices Act 2016, effectively gagging animal advocates from informing the public about animal cruelty in animal use industries. It is yet to be implemented.

The Act criminalises the release of information derived from surveillance devices by animal advocates without first obtaining a court order - stifling transparency, public debate and investigations into systemic animal cruelty in animal use industries. In effect, this law will suppress the public?s right to question and debate our present use and abuse of animals, while perpetuating the concealment of animal cruelty and neglect.

While the new Act will permit media organisations to publish images or footage relating to animal cruelty or abuse, it prohibits animal advocates or animal protection groups from doing the same without first obtaining a court order. This is inexcusable, as the media should not be the only section of society that is able to participate in our public debate.

But we now have a second chance to make things right.

An amendment Bill has been put forward by the South Australian Greens, which clarifies that animal welfare issues are within the 'public interest', and accordingly, that animal advocates can release information relating to animal welfare to the public.

This is vitally important, because it will enable animal advocates to continue their pivotal work in uncovering systemic cruelty and fighting for greater legal protections for animals, without being threatened with severe criminal penalties.

Learn more here.

All we need is for the South Australian Labor Government to accept the amendment.